Can’t get to Waco Thursday night? Find a #WatchBU party near you

Almost every Saturday, a group of more than 40 Bears gathers at a restaurant to watch Baylor football win another game. The venue is decked out in Baylor decorations and serves Waco favorites like sweet tea, Mexican food, even their own version of a GutPak. The sounds of Pat Green fill the air pre- and postgame, and at halftime, they give away Baylor swag during a Baylor trivia contest.

But this gathering doesn’t take place at George’s, Ninfa’s or Vitek’s. It’s at The Hidden Shamrock — an establishment on the north side of Chicago.

Organized by Chicago residents (and Baylor alums) Graham Allen, BA ’06, and Micah Klussman, BBA ’07, the watch party is one of many around the country supported by the Baylor Alumni Network. Allen and Klussman moved to Chicago about six months apart, and each sought a place to watch games in their new hometown. When they didn’t find one, they set out to make one happen; the result is described above.

Like many Baylor fans around the country (particularly those outside Texas), Allen and Klussman won’t be able to make it to Waco Thursday night for the top-10 showdown between No. 6 Baylor and No. 10 Oklahoma. (For which, it seems worth noting, a sellout seems imminent; get your tickets now!)